Jul 28, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
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Barre, VT – Thunder Road Speedbowl wraps up the month of July this Thursday, July 30 with WDEV/Calkins Portable Toilets Night. In addition to a full card of racing for all weekly divisions, the event will see the return of the semi-feature and Maplewood “Triple Crown” for the Thunder Road Late Models.
The 15-lap semi-feature will pit the top finishers in the Late Model qualifying heats against each other for bonus points and purse money. A progressive cash bonus has also been posted for any driver who can complete the Triple Crown by winning their heat, the semi-feature, and the main event in the same night. The bonus begins at $500 and increases by $100 for each event until the Triple Crown is won. The program will run for the remaining Thunder Road Thursday night schedule.
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Jul 24, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
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Barre, VT – Two-time defending “King of the Road” Derrick O’Donnell took a big step in his chase for a three-peat by winning the Times Argus Mid-Season Championship on Thursday, July 23.
N. Haverhill, NH’s O’Donnell took the lead from local driver Mike “Beetle” Bailey with 11 laps to go in the 75-lap Thunder Road Late Model main event. The two bumped and banged as Bailey made a final bid for the double-point win, but O’Donnell held on for his third victory of the season.
“I had to work really hard for this one,” O’Donnell said. “The car got really tight – we got hit in the left front and it folded the nose up on the tire, and I could definitely feel it not wanting to turn. But we still had a pretty good car, and it all worked out.” (more…)
Jul 23, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Alan Ward photo
Barre, VT – One of the most important events of the Thunder Road season goes to post this Thursday, July 23 at 6:30pm with the annual Times Argus Mid-Season Championships. Double points are on the line in all events for the Thunder Road Late Models, Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen, and Allen Lumber Stocks, which means championship aspirations will be reaffirmed, re-inspired, or even crumble away by the time the final checkered flag flies.
The annual mid-summer event includes extra-distance features for all divisions, with the Thunder Road Late Models going 75 laps instead of their normal 50. It’s a prime opportunity for a top contender to establish themselves at the top of the standings as three of the last six Mid-Season Champions in the Late Models went on to win the season-long title. Conversely, a poor performance can leave a driver spending the second half of the season scrambling to make up ground. (more…)
Jul 20, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, NE Racing News, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
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Barre, VT – Kyle Pembroke rode the outside line to pick up his second Thunder Road Late Model win in the last three races at the Fairpoint Communications Trophy Dash on Thursday, July 16.
East Montpelier’s Pembroke started on the pole of the 50-lap main event, but used the high groove to get the jump on Milton’s Eric Badore following the race’s only caution on lap 28. Jason Corliss and Nick Sweet followed Pembroke through to second and third, but became locked in a battle of their own for the second position, allowing Pembroke to hang on for the win.
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Jul 14, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
Alan Ward photo
Barre, VT – The 56th season of racing at Barre’s Thunder Road Speedbowl continues with Fairpoint Communications Night on Thursday, July 16. The championship battles in the Thunder Road Late Models, Bond Auto Tiger Sportsmen, and Allen Lumber Street Stocks have remained close throughout the first two months of the 2015 season. In each division, the gap between first and second in the standings is just three points, ensuring the intensity remains high as the season nears the halfway mark.
The main attraction continues to be the heavyweight battle in the Thunder Road Late Models between N. Haverhill, NH’s Derrick O’Donnell and Barre, VT’s Nick Sweet as both chase a third “King of the Road” crown. Sweet’s dramatic victory in the Vermont Governor’s Cup last Thursday, July 9 – in which he took the lead from O’Donnell in the closing laps – tightened the gap to its current three-point margin.
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Jul 9, 2015 | American Canadian Tour, Thunder Road, Touring Series News
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Barre, VT – Barre’s Nick Sweet came out on top of a battle with Thunder Road Late Model point leader and fellow two-time “King of the Road” Derrick O’Donnell to with his fourth VP Fuels Vermont Governor’s Cup 150 on Thursday, July 9.
Sweet took the lead from N. Haverhill, NH’s O’Donnell on lap 125 following the fourth and final restart after stalking him for much of the event. O’Donnell made a bid to get back around Sweet on the outside, but came under attack from polesitter Cody Blake with 10 laps remaining, allowing Sweet to drive off tothe victory. Sweet moved into a tie with Robbie Crouch for the most Vermont Governor’s Cup wins of all-time.-
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